Parashat Bechukotai - Second Aliyah

After the material blessing of the first aliyah comes the blessing that the Sages said is equal to all the others combined: peace.

Complete peace. “Venatati shalom ba’aretz ushkhavtem ve’ein macharid” (verse 6). Three components: peace, restful sleep, and the absence of fear. Rashi says: Perhaps you will say, there is food and drink, but if there is no peace, there is nothing. That is why peace is promised after abundance, because without it everything is worthless.

Wild beasts and the sword. “Vehishbati chayah ra’ah min ha’aretz vecherev lo ta’avor be’artzekhem” (verse 6). Not only will there be no war, but even a sword of peace, belonging to an army passing through on its way elsewhere, will not cross your land. Even the wild animals will cause no harm. The security is absolute.

Five against a hundred. “Veradfu mikhem chamishah me’ah ume’ah mikhem revavah yirdofu” (verse 8). The math is not proportional: five against a hundred is 1:20, but a hundred against ten thousand is 1:100. The more one walks in His statutes, the more the blessing increases in a non-linear way. The power is not in numbers but in blessing.

I will turn to you. “Ufaniti aleikhem vehifreti etkhem vehirbeti etkhem” (verse 9). Rashi explains: “I will turn away from all My affairs to pay your reward.” This is a promise of full divine attention. Not only will God give, but He will turn toward us. This blessing includes fertility, multiplication, and the reestablishment of the covenant. “Vahakimoti et briti itkhem” - not a new covenant, but a renewed establishment of the ancient covenant, under conditions of closeness and favor.